Improvement in steam engines



@nitro gisten @anni @frn SAMUEL W. HUDSON, OF' IAOKER TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA.

o Letters Patent No. 68,747,1rlatecl September 1t), 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM ENGINES.

T-O ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. HUDSON, of Packer township, in the county of Carbon, State of Pennsylvania, have made a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Cylinders and Piston and I do'hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation of thc-same,

sufficient to enable one skilled inthe art to which it iappertains to construct and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which are made part of this spccication, and'in which thc same letters indicate similar parts. i

l Figure 1- is a top view of thecylinder, the steam-chest removed.

Figure 2 is vertical longitudinal section. i Figure 3 is a. diagram illustrating the form of the opening. This improvement consistsy First, in the construction of the steam opening in the cylinder, so that as it is uncovered bythe piston u .the width of the'induction opening becomes relatively larger.I This is especially'intended forsteam-pumps and blowing apparatus, and is Vintendedhto givenl graduated pressure of steamupon the piston, Vincr-easing as it advances for the length of the steam-port, the port being triangular, the apex towards the end of the cylinder and extending through the thickness of the same. A depression of corresponding form is made in the opposite side of the cylinder to balance the pressure of steam on the periphery ofthe piston.

Secondly, inthe construction of the piston, elastic rings are sprung open and inserted into the piston grooves, being rctained'by the inward Yflanges ofthe rings in the grooves, the peripheries of the rings extending the length of the piston, so as to make the wholelength of the latter available in determining the area of port opening. i

This improvement is spccially'intended for steam-pumps and blowers, when used Vbyrdircct action without a fly-wheel, and to state' its peculiar utility in the former I will state that a great jar takes place in the engine when the steam is admitted in full force upon the piston when the engine is reversed.

In the case cfa direct-action steam-pump, where the steam and pump-cylinders are in line, and no crankmotion or fly-wheel is used, I have found that a much better effect is produced by admitting steam gradually K to the cylinder, starting the'piston moderately at irstand enlarging the area in arrapid ratio, so as to accumulate speed in the latter part of the stroke, making a stroke of increasing rapidity, but avoiding the jar incident to the ysudden blow upon the water, or other fluid, water especially, when the engine is reversed.

In engines regulated by a ilywheel,-this device is not so necessary, as a certain uniformity of speed in the fy-wheel compels the not equal but a givenprelative proportional speed at the various proportions of the stroke, owing to the interposition of the crank and its wel1-known-action.

The piston acts as a valve, as it covers and uncovers the steam-port, and in this respect has a peculiarity over others, the steam-opening beinggoverncd by the piston ,so long as it is contact therewith.

In the drawings, A is the cylinder, and B the cylinder-heads. C are the openings by which the steam is` admitted to and ejected from the cylinder. As -will be seen in iig. l, theseopenings are of ay triangular. shape, each apex towards a cylinder-head. In the figures the steam-cylinder' is shown without the steam-chest attached. D is the piston-rod, and E the piston, provided with packing-rings F,- Tfhich are sprung upon the piston. These rings are made somewhat in the usual manner, that is, they are rings originally of a larger diameter than the piston; a piece is cut out and the ring being opened is made to clasp the piston. The peculiarity in my invention in the respect of the improvement in pistons consists in making it of an L shape in cross-section, so that at its edges it extends to the end of the piston, and so in connection with the triangular opening makes the piston act more eiiiciently as a valve.` On the inside of the cylinder, oppositethe trian gular steam-opening, is a depression of similar form and size, to enable the steam to balance upon thcrespect ive sides of the piston.

- Steam-valves of any suitable construction may be used in the steamchest, not here shown, and the motion ofsuch valres need not aifect the graduation'in the admission of steam, which is controlled by the gradual uncovering ofthe steamports.

-stantiaily as and for the purpose described.

Having described my invention, what I claim therein ns new, end"`de'si1e to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1. The cylinder, provided with tapering 'stenn'n-openings, for the purpose sind substantially as described.

2. The cylinder, provided with the depression in the side opposite to the triangular steam-opening, suh- 3. vThe piston, provided with the rings F, having Hinges embedded in grooves of thc piston-head, and with their peripheries extending to the endsl of the piston, as and for the purpose described. y

To the a-bove speciii'cetion'of my improvement I have signed my `hand this twenty-second February, 1867.

SAMUEL W. HUDSON.

Witnesses:

NATHAN K. ELLsWon'rii, EDWARD 1I. KNIGHT. 

